Page 26 - MetalForming August 2016

Large Mill Means Victory in
Machining Large Progressive Dies
A heavy-duty double-column bridge mill and its 90-tool automatic changer allows this Minnesota tool builder to keep machining inhouse, giving it control over process quality and lead time.
With its new, heavy-duty, double-column bridge mill and 90-tool automatic changer, Victory Tool has been able to manufacture large, complex dies inhouse. “The bridge mill has significantly expanded our machining envelope—our x-axis capability has been doubled and y-axis reach has been tripled,” says Nick Meixell, lead programmer at Victory. “This gives us a large platform to set up each job one time to machine big die sets for the tools we build.”
The new bridge mill readily works carbon, tool and hardened steel such as D2, A2, 4140 and hot-rolled, enabling Victory to tackle many complicated jobs, such as large, pro- gressive stamping dies with tight tolerances and multiple, complex features.
Victory Tool, an Anoka, MN, tool- and-die manufacturer, was in a quandary, and it needed to find a better way. The company had been outsourcing the machining of large, complicated progressive die sets and components. Though outsourcing work can be costly, keeping that same work inhouse, without the right equipment, can minimize flexibility and hinder effi- ciency. Just what could Victory Tool do?
Founded in 1987, Victory and its 27 employees manufacture metal-stamping dies in 20,000 sq. ft. of space, with sales averaging $4-5 million annually. Cus- tomers include OEMs and metal stam- pers in a range of industries including automotive, aerospace, medical, recre- ational, lawn and garden, and appliance.
24 MetalForming/August 2016
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